A Life in Letters

by George Orwell

  1.On 11 July 1945, Murry wrote to Orwell saying that a correspondent (possibly Dr Alfred Salter, 1873-1945, a sponsor of the Peace Pledge Union) had asked him to comment on Orwell's statement in a review that Murry had praised the Japanese invasion of China. Murry told Orwell that he was 'given to taking pot-shots' at him and suggested instead that he tackle him frankly by reviewing his latest book, Adam and Eve.

  2.The Orwells had adopted Richard Blair (born 14 May 1944 in Greenwich) in June. Orwell reviewed Adam and Eve in the Manchester Evening News on 19 October 1944 (XVI, 2565, pp. 432-4). Although not without criticism it concludes, 'This is an interesting book and a good antidote to the current notion that we should all be perfectly happy if we could get rid of Hitler and then go back to 1939 with shorter working hours and no unemployment.'

  To Rayner Heppenstall*

  21 July 1944

  Tribune

  Dear Rayner,

  Herewith that book.1 About 600 words perhaps? I'd like you very much to draw little Richard's horoscope.2 He was born on May 14th. I thought I had told you, however, that he is an adopted child. Does that make any difference to the horoscope? Don't forget to look me up if you do get to town. The above is the safest address for the time being.

  Yours

  Eric

  [XVI, 2515, p. 295; typewritten]

  1.Presumably Stephen Hero, to which Orwell refers, 17 July 1944 (XVI, 2511, pp. 290-1).

  2.Heppenstall had offered to cast this horoscope and sent it on 14 October but said he seemed to have lost the technique and feeling for casting a horoscope (XVI, 2558, n. 2, p. 420).

  When Richard was adopted in June, Eileen gave up her job at the Ministry of Food. Orwell told Leonard Moore that the flat in Canonbury Square, which the Orwells were to rent, would be theirs on 1 September but they would probably move in only on 9 September, although it proved to be later. In the following letter, Eileen writes, 'When and if Richard comes'; he was therefore not then living with them. It is possible that the reason for the journey north was to see Richard at the O'Shaughnessy family home near Stockton-on-Tees. Although Eileen had left the Ministry of Food when she wrote this letter, she evidently still had some of the Ministry's headed paper.

  Eileen* to Lydia Jackson*

  Wednesday [9? August 1944]

  Ministry of Food

  Portman Court

  Portman Square

  London W 1

  Dear Lydia,

  I didn't know where to write to you and indeed I don't know whether this is a very good idea because one of Gwen's letters to Florrie took ten days in transit. However we'll hope.

  So far as I can see the cottage is going to repeat its Disney act. Two babies are now supposed to be going into residence, one with a mother and father the other with a mother (fortunately the father is in Normandy or somewhere). I pity them but it's satisfactory to have the space so well used. Mrs. Horton1 has seen the space now so it's her responsibility. And about that, I thought I might come down for an hour or two while you're there and pack away some of our oddments--papers chiefly. I've arranged that the old tin trunk can stay locked but I think it would be a good idea to put it in the bottom of the larder (if it'll go) and also that the linen chest will be used for our things or yours. They're providing their own linen of course and will bring it in something in which it can be kept. I expect they will move most of the furniture about and the two passage rooms will go into use again. By the way, do you . . .deg (There was a long interruption on the telephone and I can't at all remember what this important enquiry was.) But I have remembered what I really wanted to write to you about. It was a confession. Lettice Cooper* and her sister went down to the cottage for the weekend. Barbara the sister is in the act of recovering from a nervous breakdown and this life is not good for her. She won't go away without Lettice and Lettice couldn't free herself for the weekend until just before it came. Then she did but of course it was too late to make any ordinary arrangements. They had a lovely time they say. Mrs. Anderson2 swore she would clean on Tuesday and I hope she did but Lettice has a curious liking for housewifery and doubtless did clean quite well herself; the real crisis was about the sheets as usual--they carried one but couldn't well do more than that. Anyway I hope you don't mind. It seemed a pity to have the place empty for the bank holiday and I couldn't contact you. Seeing how much they enjoyed it and how well they looked I rather hoped that all these babies wouldn't like the place after all. It would be fun to send people down all the time and I don't think it need have been empty for a night for the rest of the summer anyway. But of course it won't be empty!

  Can I come to tea? It's a bit of a job because we are going North with Gwen on the 17th [August] to help with the luggage primarily. But I could manage Saturday or Monday--or Sunday I suppose but the travelling back is so ungodly. It'll have to be a compressed trip because we are also more or less in the act of moving. We have a flat in Canonbury Square--at least references are now being taken up and we shall have it unless the bombs beat us to the post which is rather likely. It's a top floor flat and there have been numbers of bombs in the vicinity though the square itself has lost nothing but a window or two. I rather like it, in fact in some ways I like it very much indeed. The outlook is charming and we have a flat roof about three yards by two which seems full of possibilities. Disadvantage is that to get to it you climb an uncountable number of stone stairs--to get to the flat I mean; to get to the roof you climb one of those fire-escape ladders with very small iron rungs. I don't know how Richard will be managed if the bombing ever stops. I thought we might have a crane and sling and transport him the way they do elephants in the films but George thinks this unsuitable.

  Which day? With preference Saturday or Monday. No. Posts being as they are, I think I'll come on Saturday unless I hear to the contrary, and hope to see you. I expect I shan't get on the bus anyway but I'll come some time in the afternoon and leave in the late afternoon, having put away the papers and possibly collected one or two things. When and if Richard comes I'll be wanting a few things but probably the best thing to do will be to leave them for the moment in the linen chest so that they don't get bombed before they're used. I meant to brood on this when I went over with Mrs. Horton but she had to get back and we only had half an hour in the cottage which didn't leave much time for brooding.

  See you on Saturday I hope.

  With love

  Eilee.3

  [Handwritten postscript] (One thing I want to do with you is to check up on the things you want out of the garden. Kay wants you to have the crops of course but she'd better be forewarned so that the apple disaster isn't repeated the day they arrive.

  Also I want to arrange to buy the coal and the Calor Gas.

  [XVI, 2528A, pp.323-6; typewritten with handwritten postscript]

  1.Mrs Horton was evidently the new tenant of The Stores at Wallington.

  2.Mrs Anderson was one of the Orwells' neighbours at Wallington; she often looked after their affairs in their absence.

  3.Eileen signs off with an indecipherable scrawl. She possibly writes 'With best wishes/Eilee.' but it is a little more likely that it is 'With love/Eilee.'--and the degree of scrawl is indicated by interpretations that see two and three words here. What is clear is that there is no final 'n' to 'Eilee', which may have been a name she was familiarly called at the Ministry of Food.

  To Leonard Moore*

  15 August 1944

  Care of The Tribune Dear Mr Moore,

  Thanks for your letter of 14th August. Yes, it is O.K. about Gollancz retaining the rights of Wigan Pier.

  I think Warburg is going to publish Animal Farm--I say 'I think', because although W. has agreed to do so there may be a slip-up about the paper. But so long as we can lay hands on the paper he will do it. So that will save me from the trouble of doing it myself.

  I am now doing that essay I spoke to you of,1 & I shall then be able to compile the book of essays, but I shall have to find someone to do the typing as I have not
time to do it myself.

  We are, I think, taking a flat in Islington at the end of this month, & I will let you have the address when we move in.

  Yours sincerely

  E. A. Blair

  [XVI, 2533, p. 335; handwritten]

  1.'Raffles and Miss Blandish' was completed on 28 August 1944, according to Orwell's Payments Book. It was published in Horizon, October 1944 (XVI, 2538, pp. 345-58).

  To Leonard Moore*

  29 August 1944

  Care of The Tribune Dear Mr Moore,

  I have just seen Warburg. He has definitely arranged to publish Animal Farm about March 1945, so perhaps you can get in touch with him about the contract. He is willing to pay an advance of PS100, half of this to be paid about Christmas of this year. I shall give him an option on all my future books, but this can be arranged in such a way as not to tie me down if for some special reason I want to take a book elsewhere. I have finished the final essay for the book of essays, & as soon as possible I will get the whole thing typed & send you a copy. Warburg presumably won't be able to do it till some time next year, but meanwhile we should make an attempt at an American edition. The Dial Press have asked to see this book & I more or less promised to send it to them.

  Yours Sincerely

  E. A. Blair

  P.S. My address as from Sept. 1st will be 27B Canonbury Square Islington London N. 1 but I probably shan't move in there till Sept. 8th, so Tribune is the safest address for the time being.

  [XVI, 2539, p. 358; handwritten]

  [Ivor Brown]* to Dr Thomas Jones*

  14 October 1944

  Dear T. J.,

  I would be very grateful for your opinion on this review by George Orwell, which I held out of the paper this week.1 It came in very late and there was not time to talk it over with him. It seems to me that the whole tone of it breathes a distaste for Christianity, which would be offensive to a great many of our readers and, almost certainly, to Lord Astor. I dont,deg myself, complain as a member of the Faith who is pained, but simply as the Editor of a paper having a tradition of Protestant christianity, which I believe the Chairman of Directors is eager to maintain. That does not mean that a reviewer like Orwell need be barred from such topics, but it does mean that he should endeavour to express himself in a different way.

  The effect his review had on me was this: I felt that the reader who is a churchman, or chapelman, would say to himself 'This man so dislikes us and our ideas that we will never get any justice out of him'. I may be quite wrong in feeling this and that is why I am asking your opinion. Do you think the review as a whole is likely to create the impression that I have suggested, and that a few minor alterations would put it right, or do you think that a few changes, such as I have pencilled in, would put the matter right?

  I am sorry to trouble you, but this is a case where the atmosphere built up by a review is of great importance, and I very much want your sense of the atmosphere.

  Yours ever,

  [unsigned]

  [XX, 2563B, pp. 557-8; typewritten copy]

  1.This must refer to a review of Beyond Personality by C. S. Lewis, which the Observer did not publish. It was set in type and is published in XVI, 2567, pp. 437-9 from its galley-proofs.

  Whilst waiting for her operation in Newcastle upon Tyne Eileen stayed at the O'Shaughnessy family home, Greystone. Meanwhile, Orwell had gone abroad as War Correspondent for the Observer and the Manchester Evening News, reporting from France and later Germany and Austria. See the Chronology for details of his reports.

  Eileen Blair* to Leonard Moore*

  2 March 1945

  Greystone

  Carlton

  Near Stockton-on-Tees

  Co. Durham 1

  Dear Mr. Moore,

  Thank you very much for your letter and various press cuttings. I am sorry to have been so dilatory but I had to go to London to complete the adoption of the son that Eric may have told you about and was held up there by illness while my mail waited for me here.

  I am afraid I can't sign the letter on his behalf. If I had been in London while he was getting ready to go I should probably have a power of attorney as before, but as it is I have only the most informal authority. So I have sent the letter on to him and I suppose it will be back in about three weeks. I have had one letter and that took eleven days. I have also written to Warburg about the letter--I know Eric spoke to Frederickdeg Warburg about it and I imagine there will be no trouble about it, though I quite see that from your point of view these loose ends are very unsatisfactory.

  I have no real news from Eric.He wrote the day after arriving in Paris and had seen little except his hotel which seems to be full of war correspondents and quite comfortable--with central heating on. I expect the next letter will be more informative, though it will mostly concern this son we have adopted in whom Eric is passionately interested. The baby is now nine months old and according to his new father very highly gifted-- 'a very thoughtful little boy' as well as very beautiful. He really is a very nice baby. You must see him sometime. His name is Richard Horatio.

  Yours sincerely,

  Eileen Blair

  [XVII, 2630, p. 81; typewritten]

  To Mrs Sally McEwan*

  12 March 1945

  Room 329

  Hotel Scribe1

  Rue Scribe

  Paris 9e

  Dear Sally,

  I hope you are getting on O.K. I won't say without me but in my absence. I haven't had a copy of Tribune yet, thanks to the condition of the posts I suppose. I expect you also got via the Observer some frantic S.O.Ss for tobacco, but at the moment the situation isn't so bad because I got a friend who was coming across to bring me some. None has arrived by post, needless to say. Our Paris opposite number, Libertes, with whom I want Tribune to arrange a regular exchange, are never able to get the paper commercially but see copies at the Bibliotheque Nationale and frequently translate extracts. I went to a semi-public meeting of their readers and also to the paper's weekly meeting which was very like Tribune's Friday meeting but on a higher intellectual level I thought. I don't know whether Louis Levy 2 came and saw Bevan and Strauss about his idea of a continental edition of T., but if that can't be arranged it would certainly be a good idea if they could manage to send a few copies over here weekly, even say 50. A lot of British and American papers are sold regularly here, and there is a considerable public which would be glad to get hold of T.

  I am trying to arrange to go to Cologne for a few days, or, if not Cologne, at any rate some where in occupied territory. After that I fancy I shall go to Toulouse and Lyons, then return to Paris and come back to England towards the end of April. By the time the posts seem to take, I don't think it would be worth forwarding any letters after about the 10th of April. Otherwise they are liable to arrive here after I have left and then will probably be lost for good. But it's all right forwarding letters while I am out of Paris because I should come back here to pick up my stuff in any case. I wonder whether you could be kind enough to do one thing for me. I only rather hurriedly saw, before leaving, Stefan Schimanski 3 who had had a war diary of mine from which he thought he might like to use extracts in some book or other. I wonder if you could ring him up (I think he is at Lindsay Drummondsdeg) and impress upon him that if he does want to use such extracts, he must in no case do so without my seeing them beforehand.

  I dare say you heard that the court case went off all right and little Richard is now legally mine. I hear that he has 5 teeth and is beginning to move about a bit. I saw the other day a knitted suit in a shop that I thought would be nice for him, so I went in and asked the price and it was Frs. 2500, ie. about PS12.10s.4 That is what prices are like here. If you take two people out to lunch it costs at least Frs 1000 for the three. However it isn't me that is paying. I am glad I managed to bring a lot of soap and coffee across with me because you can produce a terrific effect by distributing small quantities of either, also English cigarettes. Luckily it isn't at all cold. I've ta
ken to wearing a beret, you'll be glad to hear. Please give everyone my love and impress on them again not to expect any silk stockings because there just aren't such things here. The Americans bought them all up long ago.

  Yours

  George

  P.S. Before being able to send this off, ie. before getting hold of some envelopes which aren't too plentiful here, I got your letter of March 6th and 2 Tribunes, 2nd and 9th March. It was nice to see Tribune again, and it seems so fat and heavy compared with French papers.

  [XVII, 2634, pp. 88-90; typewritten]

  1.Very many war correspondents were based at the appropriately named Hotel Scribe in Paris.

  2.Louis Levy was editor of Libertes.

  3.Stefan Schimanski (d. 1950), journalist and editor (for example, of the annual Transformation, with Henry Treece, 1943-47). He and Treece edited Leaves in the Storm: A Book of Diaries (published by Lindsay Drummond, 1947). Orwell's diaries were not included. Schimanski was killed when the plane in which he was travelling on an assignment to Korea for Picture Post to cover that war, exploded. (See Tom Hopkinson, Of This Our Time (1982), pp. 278-81.) 4.It was reported in the Manchester Evening News, 8 February 1945, that a pay award of PS4 per week was made by the official Resettlement Committee to a soldier who had served for five years and was returning to a civilian job - the employer had offered PS1 15s. Thus the knitted suit was the equivalent in cost to three weeks of his pay.

  To Roger Senhouse*

  17 March 1945

  Room 329

  Hotel Scribe

  Rue Scribe

  Paris 9e

  Dear Roger,

  Thanks so much for your letter, and for sending the copy of Homage to Catalonia. I didn't after all give it to Andre Malraux, who is not in Paris, but to, of all people, Jose Rovira, who was the commander of my division in Spain and whom I met at a friend's house here.

  I don't know whether Animal Farm has definitely gone to press. If it has not actually been printed yet, there is one further alteration of one word that I would like to make. In Chapter VIII (I think it is VIII), when the windmill is blown up, I wrote 'all the animals including Napoleon flung themselves on their faces.' I would like to alter it to 'all the animals except Napoleon.' If the book has been printed it's not worth bothering about, but I just thought the alteration would be fair to J[oseph] S[talin], as he did stay in Moscow during the German advance.1